The Doctor's Remembrance
by ShadowPhoenix96
Summary: While celebrating a successful souffle made by Clara, The Doctor receives a phone call to the TARDIS and it does bear good news. The Eleventh Doctor loses yet another companion and this time it's a very special companion. Dedicated to Elisabeth Sladen


**A Doctor Who one-shot today. I was watching School Reunion (Series 2, Episode 3) and I have always loved Sarah Jane just for the effect she had on The Doctor and how she knew him better than anyone else. This is dedicated to Elisabeth Sladen who played Sarah Jane.**

The Doctor's Remembrance

The Doctor and Clara were celebrating a successful soufflé when they heard the phone ring in the console room. Clara watched The Doctor's expression change almost immediately into sadness; she then saw a few stray tears run down her best friend's cheeks. She had only seen him cry once and it was a day that was hard on both Clara and The Doctor. But Clara didn't dwell on that day, she had The Doctor to care for, whatever he had been told over that phone had shaken him greatly. He put down the receiver with his hand shaking and then set about around the console.

"We uh...we have to go to Earth, Clara. I found out..."

The Doctor's voice choked up and he found that his throat was too dry to continue talking. Clara being brilliant as he always described her walked over to the handbrake and pulled it gently off. The familiar wheezing and groan of the TARDIS engines filled the room and nothing more. The Doctor sat on one of the stairs leading off the higher level in complete shellshock.

Clara sat down next to him and rubbed his back gently, kindly waiting the moment The Doctor would tell her what had put him into shock.

"Do you remember my Third and Fourth Regenerations?" He asked very quietly.

Clara nodded knowing The Doctor would obviously know that anyway.

"One of my companions across both of them was a woman. Her name was Sarah Jane Smith and she was brilliant, Clara. She was the bravest of the brave, willing to do whatever she could for anyone in need. I loved her, but me being the proud show-off Time Lord...I couldn't bring myself to ever say it. I got a call from Gallifrey and I told Sarah that humans weren't allowed there when really it's just frowned upon. They wouldn't have cared if she were with me anyway. I didn't see her again till my Tenth Regeneration with Rose and Mickey. We were investigating a school that was supposed to have been exposed to aliens somehow. Sarah was just investigating the abnormal high results and she didn't recognise me. I like to think that she did somehow but it wasn't until she saw the TARDIS that she made the connection. Another adventure with her and it was so much fun. Lots of running as well, you would have liked it!"

Clara laughed despite the mood being set but listened on when The Doctor continued.

"I didn't see her for another year. Tried to save her from The Trickster, nasty bugger he was. Then she was almost married! Then the Daleks came and with that came everyone else. Everyone from my ninth and tenth incarnations and they fought for me. Saved the whole of creation as you do, then flew the Earth a few hundred thousand light-years back to where it belonged, all in a day's work for me. She said I looked so miserable and lonely but there I was with the biggest family even then she was still brilliant. That was the last time I saw her, Clara. The person who rang me is an old friend of mine at UNIT, she just told me Sarah passed away."

As soon as he had finished The Doctor broke down and Clara held him while he cried. She had never seen this side of The Doctor and it broke her heart to see him crying like this.

-TDR-

The TARDIS materialized outside Twelve Bannerman Road and out they stepped, hand in hand. The Doctor took a deep breath and walked into the driveway. He was met by a number of familiar faces; there was her son Luke and his friends Clyde, Rani and Maria, there was Mike Yates with a solemn smile on his face, he knew The Doctor from anywhere with any face. The Doctor moved over to Luke and placed his hand on his shoulder.

"Your mum was absolutely brilliant ya know that? She saved my life more times than I care to remember. I loved her dearly Luke and she would be proud of you no matter what, don't forget that."

Luke could only nod and shook The Doctor's hand, even though she didn't know him, Clara offered an hg which he took straight away.

-TDR-

After the service The Doctor hastily made his way into the TARDIS and then walked off to one of the many rooms in the ship. The TARDIS was on a low hum of power; Clara knew that it was probably the TARDIS herself who had powered down. It was obvious that both the TARDIS and The Doctor were grieving. Clara would give The Doctor some time before going to check on him.

The TARDIS guided her to where The Doctor was he was in one of the old control rooms. A bright white room with an almost identical console to the one in the Main Control Room, The Doctor was looking over some of the old switches and was smiling sadly. He was thinking of earlier times and remembering the faces that accompanied those times. He looked and saw Clara smiling at him; he managed one himself back at her.

"You're not alone Doctor. We'll get through this together." Clara said.

She placed her hands on top of his and smiled brightly.

"So come on then. Tell me of the adventures you had with her."

The Doctor told her tale after tale. From the lone Sontaran in the Middle Ages all the way to the planet Skaro when the Time Lords ordered The Doctor to wipe their very existence from Time itself.

-TDR-

Clara woke up the next morning and found The Doctor in the main control room with the engines running on silent.

"We going somewhere then?" She asked yawning.

"Morning! And yes we are. I thought I might introduce you to someone. You know that I had a grand-daughter Susan? Well I haven't seen her since...I actually don't remember so I thought why not see her now? By now I'm probably a great grandfather!" The Doctor replied; seemingly back to his old self.

"I never asked...is she Gallifreyan? I mean with her being related to you." Clara asked.

"Umm yeah she's half Gallifreyan. Her mother was a full Time Lady before...Anyway yes, she partially Gallifreyan." The Doctor replied smiling in remembrance of something.

The course set and away the TARDIS went. Flying into the Time Vortex.

The Doctor made a silent promise to his best friend.

'_I'll always remember you Sarah.'_

He would not say goodbye. Time if anything was full of surprises and was capable of anything and everything.


End file.
